One day after SNY.tv reported that former Rhode Island forward Jonathan Holton had verbally committed to West Virginia on Sunday, the school made the signing official.
The 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward signed a grant-in-aid to play for coach Bob Huggins.
Holton also considered Memphis, Maryland and Southern Miss but never visited any of those.
“I chose West Virginia because it was the best spot for me in that they needed a guy with energy who can rebound and score right away,” Holton told SNY.tv Sunday.
“I have a little experience under my belt. I averaged 19 points and 18 rebounds last year. I’m a huge fan of Coach Huggins, how he runs his program and I feel he can help me get to the next level where I want to go.”
“Jonathan is a prototype Big 12 forward,” Huggins said. “He can really score it off the bounce, play with his back to the basket, stretch defenses to make 3-pointers, as well as being a terrific offense rebounder. He should give us immediate help on the front line.”
At Palm Beach State his past season, he averaged 17.5 points and 14.1 rebounds while shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range. He earned NJCAA and FCSAA Player of the Week honors.
As a freshman at Rhode Island, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds and was on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team.
Holton was dismissed from Rhode Island in 2012 after getting charged with two counts of felony video voyeurism on campus.
He joins Nathan Adrian, Elijah Macon, Brandon Watkins and Devin Williams in West Virginia’s 2013 class.
Photo: PROVIDENCE JOURNAL FILES / GLENN OSMUNDSON
